


Better Bean-Lieve It

by annaloverofarendale



Series: Rom Com Compilation [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternative Universe- Fashion Intern, Basically this is a rom-com for Valentine's Day, F/M, Fluff, Rom-Com AU, Saccharine, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-20
Packaged: 2018-05-20 08:36:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5999152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annaloverofarendale/pseuds/annaloverofarendale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marinette Dupain-Cheng buys a cup of coffee every day from the cute blonde barista who doodles cat faces on her cup. Unfortunately, she doesn't drink coffee. And can't form a coherent sentence when the barista smiles at her. Chat Noir writes letters to Nouvelle Reine's Ladybug every week, asking for advice on all sorts of problems only a black cat's luck could cause.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Living La Vida Mocha

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was a girl of many bad habits. She liked to sleep late, she bought too many shoes, and didn’t eat enough vegetables. But this was, by far, her worst bad habit; standing in line for fifteen precious morning minutes to buy an overpriced cup of coffee she wouldn’t drink.

She hated the taste of coffee.

But she loved the blonde barista. The first time she stumbled into the quaint little coffee shop, she was searching for a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream to keep her warm. She was so focused on her mission, she didn’t notice the painfully hot cashier until it was too late.

“Hi, Welcome to Better Bean-Lieve It, my name is Adrien, what can I get you?” 

Marinette had been struck dumb. Adrien kept smiling at her, as gentle as could be, but no words came out of her mouth. After someone behind her coughed obnoxiously, he asked if a plain coffee would be alright.

It took everything she had to nod. But it was so worth it to see Adrien grin in relief. She handed over her money, accepted her change, and took the coffee with her head hanging low. Then she noticed the name on the cup.

It wasn’t a name, not really. It was just one letter: “M”, with the a smile underneath and whiskers turning the letter into a smiling cat face. Marinette was a few beats short of panicking about having a hot and psychic barista when she remembered she was in fact clutching her sketchbook, the fancy leather one Alya got her for Christmas. The one with a giant “M” in curlicue script and pink polka dots.

So. Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday Marinette would wait in line to buy a cup of regular coffee that she gave to the janitor at work. Every cup would be doodled on, some variation of her “M” and cat features. And every time she waited in line, she promised herself that today, today would be the day that she would confidently give Adrien her full name.

At this point, actually ordering her hot chocolate was incidental.

Today was no different. Adrien gave her a little wave when he spotted her in his line. Marinette managed a smile, handed over her money, got her change and coffee, and walked the remaining two blocks to work half floating on air from her daily dose of Adrien, and half in shame for how totally ditzy she must have seemed.

Gah! 

Nezzy gave Marinette a sympathetic look as she took the coffee. “Not today, eh, Marinette?”

She shook her head sadly. “Not today.”

Nezzy’s smile was the same smile as the past thirty-two times. “Next time. Thank you for the coffee.”

As soon as Marinette walked through the glass double doors of the Nouvelle Reine, she was attacked by a flurry of red hair, glasses, and pages upon pages of notes. “Mari! Thank god you’re here!”

 

Marinette tried to regain her balance. “Alya, be careful!” 

Alya rolled her eyes. “It’s not like you were carrying coffee. Because you don’t drink coffee. Even though a certain Prince Charming thinks you do.” Marinette opened her mouth to protest, but Alya barreled on through. “Anyway, we don’t have time to talk about that now! You know that running series we have, the one on diversity in fashion?”

After they had graduated, Alya had planned on working as an investigative journalist. But when Marinette interviewed with Nouvelle Reine, Alya was mistaken for an applicant for the Features Editor position. Alya didn’t like to back down from a challenge. One aced interview later, Alya was the youngest editor on staff. 

She had offered to turn down the job once, feeling guilty over jumping into an industry Marinette had wanted to break into for years. But Marinette loved working with her friend, and besides which, Alya was an amazing feature editor. She was the one who had brought Nouvelle Reine into the spotlight as a socially conscious fashion magazine.

Her latest project was to highlight different designers and manufacturers who were redefining beauty standards in the industry. 

“Yes? Did you pick your next designer?” Leave it to Alya to get thoroughly wrapped up in whatever she did. That girl always gave a hundred and ten percent.

Alya grinned. “You.”

Marinette was still trying to wake up. “Me what?”

“You, silly, I pitched it and Gabrielle finally approved it! You’re going to be featured in the New Year's issue!” Alya grabbed Marinette’s hand and spun her until she was dizzy. 

Personally, Marinette felt dizzy enough without the twirls. “Me? But- but I’m just a staff writer! I sometimes help out with shoots, but-”

“But you’re super talented and it’s time someone besides me knew it. Marinette, you’re an incredible designer. No one will get to see it if you stay a staff writer forever. I’m working her because I like writing, and getting ideas out to people. You’re working here because it’s been your dream forever.”

It started to sink in for Marinette that this was real, this was her dream. Alya had put her neck out for her, because she believed in her designs. She threw her arms around Alya and squeezed, eyes starting to water with emotion. Alya patted her on the back soothingly. “Girl, you deserve this.”

For a moment, Marinette truly, fully believed it. 

Then she realized she only had a month to design a collection from scratch. And something seemed a little off about Alya’s pitch.

“Alya? I thought you were looking for designers who were, you know, unique or-or out of the mainstream?” Her work was distinctly hers, yes, but it wasn’t that out of the norm.

Alya looked at the floor. “I maybe pushed the half Chinese/half French thing harder than was exactly ethical.”

Of course there was a catch, there was always a catch. Marinette rubbed her temple. “Alya, you’ve known me for how long, exactly?”

“Twenty two years and four months and thirteen days?” Of course Alya knew exactly. Of course. It was so Alya. But it was also ‘so Alya’ to throw Marinette into the world of high end fashion with no warning, no experience, and a partially false premise.

Marinette couldn’t stop herself from pouting. “Alya, I’ve never even visited China.”

Alya grinned. “We’ll figure it out. We’re a team, remember?” She pulled Marinette into another hug, and the duo made their way towards the elevators. 

“Yeah, we’re a team.” Marinette felt herself start to get excited. She would do eight pieces, eight was a lucky number, she knew that much. She had so many ideas, this would be a sinch!

~~~

“This is impossible.” Marinette began steadily thumping her head on her desk. Rose, her desk neighbor, rubbed soothing circles on her back. Rose was currently very into ‘touch therapy’. 

Juleka arrived just then, bringing the daily mail. The goth girl handed Marinette the bundle of envelopes silently, but Marinette was becoming proficient in Juleka. The girl was actually in a good mood for once, and judging by the blush spreading on Rose’s freckled cheeks, Marinette could guess the reason. 

Rose pulled Juleka into an assumedly private conversation, so Marinette began flipping through her mail, definitely not looking for anything in particular. But when she pulled out a familiar black envelope, Rose cut off Juleka to comment.

“Oh my god, Marinette, that’s like the twentieth one!”

Marinette shrugged nonchalantly, but secretly, she was pleased. And also knew that it was more like the fourtieth, but she wasn't about to say _that_. “He needs a lot of advice, that’s all.”

Juleka rolled her eyes. Rose gestured to her girlfriend. “See? Even Juleka thinks you two are super romantic.”

“It’s not romantic, Rose, it’s my job. They stuck me in charge of the advice column, so I answer letters. And some people write in more than once.” The explanation sounded perfectly logical and sound to Marinette, so she really was rather offended when Juleka AND Rose rolled their eyes.

“Read it then.” Juleka’s gravelly voice was hard to ignore. Marinette carefully opened the envelope, maybe a bit more slowly than she normally would, but it would be a shame to rip the letter, wouldn’t it be?

_Dearest Bugaboo,_

Rose’s shriek was shrill, to say the least. Marinette groaned. “He’s not- he’s just making fun of my penname. He always does that.” She frowned at the page. “And that nickname is terrible.”

Juleka didn’t blink. “Keep reading, please.”

_Thank you for your last column, I took your advice and got a pet. His name is Plagg, he’s a gorgeous black cat- and a complete devil. He actively hates my poor roommate. It’s a complete cat-astrophe. Any advice on how to stop his reign of terror in our apartment?_  
Yours, Always,  
Chat Noir 

Marinette frowned at the page, already drafting a response in her mind. Chat Noir sure had terrible luck. He always had some minor crisis to deal with, Juleka and Rose were right when they said he’d written in the last ten weeks. 

Rose elbowed Juleka, and they left Marinette to reply to her most faithful reader.

_Don’t call me Bugaboo, Alley Cat. Also, that pun was terrible. Anyway, the first step to turning a wild tomcat into a sweet kitty is managing those nails. Declawing is cruel to the poor thing, but keeping his nails trimmed will keep all three of you happy. Buy or make a scratching board and plenty of toys. Toys will stop your kitty (Plagg? Who names a cat Plagg?) from getting bored, which is a good thing, because a bored kitty is a sneaky kitty._  
Good luck,  
Ladybug. 

Marinette leaned back in her chair, a trace of a smile on her face. Chat Noir’s problems were always like this- ridiculous. The first time he wrote her, he wanted to know how to gently turn down a childhood friend- apparently, the poor girl was under the impression they were fated to grow up and get married. After that, Chat Noir was a regular. He wanted to know how to get his roommate to stop hosting raves in their living room. He needed to find a way to redo a semester's worth of a physics experiment in seventy two hours. Sometimes, his questions were more serious. He didn’t know how to help a coworker struggling with two other jobs. He was frustrated with a new budget cut at his university that slashed the health services available to students without insurance and wanted to do something.

Ladybug got other letters, of course. But those tended to be single time events, and the questions were less varied. Those people asked for fashion or etiquette advice. 

There was something incredibly refreshing about Chat, and her editors thought so too. Early on, they promised that she could pick the letters they published in the magazine, with the remainder being answered on the blog. Chat Noir’s letters always made it to the print version.

Marinette just hoped that her penpal would have a better stroke of luck someday, and soon. 

She never mentioned it, but his letters always sounded the tiniest bit lonely.

~~~

Thursday morning came, and Marinette was ready, gosh darn it. She was wearing her lucky scarf, the one with red and white polka dots. She was having a good hair day. She was going to be a featured designer in Nouvelle Reine, for crying out loud!

She was a girl on a mission.

Waiting in line felt like such an eternity, Marinette couldn’t stop herself from bouncing up and down the slightest bit as she waited. The other customers weren’t too pleased with that, but they were pre-caffinated boring adults who didn’t understand true love, so what did they know? Marinette was so focused, she almost missed her cue to order. 

A wave of anxiety crashed over her head. She couldn’t do this. No. She had to do this.

“Marinette!” She blurted out her name, staring at the floor. She slowly raised her eyes to see Adrien’s reaction. He looked shocked, and for a moment her heart sank. Then she noticed his hands.

They were twisted rather unusually. He saw her gaze and quickly shoved them into his pockets. “I, um- thought you might, thought this might be easier- yeah.” Adrien’s face only looked prettier with a blush, Marinette noted with dismay. And then the situation sank in.

He was trying to sign to her.

“Sorry, I’m just- shy.” Because apparently, she had been so completely speechless, he thought sign language would be a better bet. Which was really quite thoughtful, but off-base.

Adrien nodded, blush slowly fading. “That makes sense, yeah.” He gave her a careful smile. “One regular coffee for,” his smile grew until he was practically glowing, “Marinette.” It sounded lovely in his voice.

When Marinette picked up her cup, there was a tiny cat face drawn over the “i”, and Adrien waved at her as she walked out of the shop. 

As soon as her heart slowed back down to normal, Marinette decided to chalk this one up as a success. _He knew her name._

She took a photo of the cup with her name (her name!) written in elegant scrawl before giving it to Nezzy, who pulled her into a tight hug. “Congratulations, Marinette!” She said before taking a sip. “Mmm. I know it doesn’t mean much to you, but your boy can make really good coffee, you know.”

“Of course he can. He’s perfect.”

Marinette couldn’t stop humming happily as she rode the elevator up to the fifth floor. Or at least, she couldn’t stop humming until the sticky feel of iced coffee drenched the front of her blouse.

“Whoopsie!” Chloe, the intern who could get away with anything, was standing there, holding an empty cup. “Sorry, I didn’t see you there.”

Marinette was pissed. “Really? And yet your coffee managed to spill entirely down my shirt, not splashing back on you or the carpet at all?”

Chloe shrugged. “Apparently. Oh, don’t forget- there’s a meeting in-” Chloe made a big show of looking at her ostentatious diamond rimmed watch, “like, five minutes? It’s about your feature. Wouldn’t want to make a bad impression.” Chloe had the nerve to wink as she walked away.

Marinette sprinted to her desk. There! Her bag of emergency clothes. Thank god, Alya made her pack one after the first time Chloe tried the coffee trick. Marinette was an expert at changing quickly. She ducked into the janitorial closet, Nezzy sympathetically clicking her tongue. She pulled off the ruined blouse, cursing Chloe all the while. The two had been butting heads ever since Chloe got the coveted internship position. The blonde was still at university, taking her time since she didn’t need to worry about tuition. Her father was the mayor, and the reason she got the internship. 

When she first started, Marinette thought maybe she could be a friend to Chloe. After all, they were the youngest. But Chloe had sneered at Marinette’s lack of ‘brand recognition’, and the rest was history. 

She made it to the meeting with twenty seconds to spare, an oversized sparkling sweatshirt replacing her original button down blouse. When Alya spotted the sweatshirt, she recognized it as from the emergency bag and gave Chloe a dirty look. 

Nathalie rapped her knuckles on the table. “All right, let’s get started. Our January issue is one of our biggest sellers. The new year means new looks, and at Nouvelle Reine, we lead the way. Martine has secured several big ticket advertisers for this issue, speak with her privately if you have any questions. Alya will be continuing our “Diversity in Fashion” series with our very own Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Marinette, I’d like to speak with you tomorrow to go over what you have so far. Everyone else-”

Marinette flipped through her sketchbook, trying to make sense of how much she had to work with while all the other voices faded into the background. She had already decided on an eight piece collection, maybe something split down the middle- four inspired by France, and four inspired by China. Of course, they shouldn’t be costume like. They should be functional. Maybe one set could be-

“Ms. Dupain-Cheng, a word?”

Nathalie’s voice made every muscle in Marinette’s body snap to attention. “Yes?”

“I wanted to ask a favor of you.” It didn’t sound like much of a request. Marinette tried to calm her nerves and smiled up at Nathalie. The room was empty, apparently the meeting had been dismissed while she was in design land.

“Of course, anything!”

Her boss smiled. “Marinette, you are aware of Nouvelle Reine’s annual holiday ball, yes?” She didn’t wait for a response. “Well, this year, the committee has chosen to theme it like a masquerade. As such, Madame Barbossa has asked me to ensure that Ladybug will be in attendance.”

Wait. “You want me to come to the holiday ball?” The one whose guest list was decided nearly a year in advance, where only Paris’s most elite made the cut?

Nathalie pursed her lips. “No, we want Ladybug to attend. You are not to reveal your identity. Only a few people working in the building know that you are our exalted advice giver, we’d like to keep it that way. Please wear something suitably identity concealing.” Nathalie turned and walked out, leaving Marinette gaping in the empty conference room.

Marinette was still trying to process it all when Nathalie came back in, looking a little sheepish. “Marinette, I nearly forgot- we’ll need you to invite Chat Noir in your column this week.” 

The designer frowned. “Why? Isn’t Chat Noir anonymous? Anybody could come in if they pretended to be him!”

Nathalie smirked. “Which is why Ladybug will be the one to pick him out of the queue, if more than one attends. You seem to know him well enough.”

Marinette gaped as her boss sauntered out with an air of finality. 

~~~

“Marinette, really, you need to relax.”

Marinette groaned. “That’s easy for you to say.” Alya was trying to be helpful, but Marinette’s artist block felt like the weight of every past copy of Nouvelle Reine pressing down on her brain, making it impossible to come up with anything creative or even cute. Alya studied her best friend for a moment, then dragged her off the couch. “Ow! Alya, where are we going?”

Alya smiled. “Bring your sketchbook, we’re going to the Buttes-Chaumont park! You need to get outside, breathe in some fresh air.” She gave Marinette’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Come on. You can do this. You just need a change of scenery.”

Resistance was futile. Marinette grabbed a soft jacket and her favorite set of colored pencils. As soon as she stepped outside of their shared apartment, she had to admit, Alya had the right idea. She had been cooped up for too long. 

The park was as breathtaking as ever. The cold December weather meant that the trees were mostly bare, but Marinette loved the stark contrast they cut against the pale blue sky. The cold weather meant everyone she passed by was dressed in cheery scarves and warm sweaters. Alya spread their blanket out on the ground, the girls kept an old duvet in the hall closet for just these visits. 

The cold air really did do wonders for Marinette. She started seeing tiny details that reminded her of France that she could incorporate into her design in the curve of the park benches and the skyline to the west. Her colleagues were often surprised when they first saw Marinette’s sketchbook. There were far fewer clothes than one would expect. She divined inspiration from the world around her first, then translated them into wearable art.

Marinette was so enthralled in her sketching that she nearly missed the familiar shock of blonde hair by the river.

Nearly.

Alya felt her friend stiffen and looked up from her laptop. “Marinette? What’s wrong?” She followed Marinette’s gaze. “No way.”

Marinette considered hiding. There was a nice sized tree trunk a few meters to the left... But Alya had other plans. She pulled Marinette to her feet and practically carried her to where Adrien and his friend with massively oversized headphones are walking a ridiculously large golden retriever. To Marinette’s surprise, Alya stiffened with recognition.

The guy with the headphones waved. “Hey, Alya, right?”

Meanwhile, Marinette’s face was steadily increasing in both temperature and reddish tint. Adrien looked surprised, but smiled so sweetly that Marinette almost felt like she was in a Disney movie, and he was the prince. “Hi, Marinette.”

Oh, yeah, he knew her name now.

His smile dimmed a little. “My name is Adrien, I-”

Alya gave her a hearty slap on the back that urged her into action. “Oh! I know! Adrien, I mean, I know that your name is Adrien, I don’t know you, exactly, yet. I’d like to!” Oh god.

Adrien’s smile was back to full watt Disney Prince though, so the minor humiliation was totally worth it. “I’d like to know you too,” he added shyly. Then he turned to his friend. “So, Nino, care to share how you know... Alya, right?”

Nino whistled. “That’s a long tale, my friend, not meant to be told while standing by this freezing lake.” He gestured playfully at Alya and Marinette. “These lovely girls might catch a chill.”

Alya smirked. “Good thing we have a blanket over by the trees, because I want to hear you try and explain that event to Adrien and Marinette.” With that, the four made their way back to Alya and Marinette’s much less windy spot. 

Marinette gave the golden a scratch on the head. “He’s gorgeous, what’s his name?”

Adrien joined her. “His name is Maxwell, he’s not ours, actually, we’re just petsitting for a friend.” He looked at her then, disarmingly charming with gorgeous green eyes she had never had the chance to truly appreciate while he was on one side of the counter and she was on the other. “Do you have pets?”

For a moment, she forgot how to speak. Again. But she had made so much progress! She swallowed, and carefully enunciated. “I have a small hamster, her name is Tikki.”

“That’s a really cute name, I have a-”

Nino groaned. “Adrien, dude, I love you, but if I have to hear you talk about that demon in our apartment one more time- wasn’t I supposed to tell the story of how little Miss Investigative Reporter and I met?”

Marinette’s eyes widened. “Oh Alya, you didn’t.”

Alya winced. “It wasn’t anything dangerous, Mari, you can relax.”

“Well-” Nino drawled, clearly enjoying himself. “You were in disguise. Trying to shut down a stolen autoparts cartel.”

Adrien blanched. “And where do you come in, Nino?” Marinette stifled a laugh. Apparently she wasn’t the only one kept in the dark about a roommate’s surprising double life.

Nino raised his hands in surrender. “Hey man, I was just DJ-ing at a club.” He considered his statement. “Maybe it was a sketchier club than typically, but I was just starting out. So I’m at the turntable, and suddenly, this girl comes running in with a blatantly fake wig and glasses, shoves me out of the way, climbs up into the DJ booth and hides behind me. Immediately after, these MASSIVE burly dudes start stirring up trouble in the club. The bouncer deals with them, no problem. And only then does this little redhead say anything. I’ve been thinking to myself, oh no, she’s probably scared pantless. But nah. She pops up and says ‘Hi, I’m Alya Césaire, investigative reporter, would you have a minute to do a brief interview on your relationship with music for my blog?’ and I’m all ‘What about those MASSIVE BURLY DUDES back there?’ and she’s all ‘Oh, they’re mad I caught them dealing illegal car parts, you can read all about it in the paper on Sunday.’ And that’s when I was like-” Nino made a big show of his jaw dropping.

Marinette snapped her fingers. “That’s why you look familiar! Your interview was amazing, you’re really talented.”

Nino smiled proudly. “Thanks.” He pointed to her sketchbook. “You look like you’re artistically inclined yourself?”

Adrien chimed in. “That’s right, I always see you with that sketchbook! Is it for fun, or for work?” He had started absentmindedly running his fingers through that golden hair, and it turned his flawlessly polished look into something a little bit more, well, human.

Marinette grinned. “Lucky for me, both!” She showed the boys her tentative sketch of a night dress inspired by the wrought iron found everywhere in Parisian architecture, careful to only show them that page. “I’m a designer, or, at least, soon I’ll be a designer. We actually came out to the park because I was in a serious slump.”

Alya nodded seriously. “We have a rule: if she sighs more than three times in five minutes, it’s time for a walk. Rule number three for the Care and Keeping of Marinette.”

Nino smirked at Adrien, who turned a mysterious shade of pink. “What are rules one and two?”

 

Marinette squeaked. Alya patted her gently on the shoulder. “Rule number two: Marinette requires more sugar than is palatable to function. Rule number one-”

Nino frowned. “The girl who drinks straight black coffee has a sweet tooth?” Adrien frowned as well, and turned to look at Marinette. The shy girl lightly punched Alya in the arm. Adrien’s eyebrows rose.

“Wait- you don’t like coffee?”

Marinette shrugged helplessly. “The janitor does, it worked out, I promise.” Adrien kept staring at her with a horrified expression on his face. Nino burst into laughter, Alya joining him a beat later.

“I’m sorry, Mari- but it is really rather funny.” She gasped out between giggles. “Come on, don’t pout, it was destined to come out sometime.”

Marinette, who was definitely pouting, tried to pull her face back into something neutral and failed. “I’m not pouting.” She cast about for a change of topic. “Does anyone know anything about China? Alya’s volunteered me for a feature,” she turned to her friend and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, “which I am, eternally, grateful for. But it needs to be showcase my ‘Chinese heritage’ and I’m, well- solidly French.” Noticing Adrien’s furrowed brow, she elaborated. “I mean. I am half Chinese. But not culturally, not really.”

Adrien’s voice was hesitant. “I don’t know if it helps- but I do speak Mandarin.”

It was like the ringing of a tiny bell. It was amazing, it was heavenly- it was an idea. It must have shown on her face, because Adrien leaned in, and god, what cologne was he wearing? 

“Does it help?” He looked so eager, and Marinette carefully tempered her excitement. He was still basically a stranger, she couldn’t bother him with this.

But he was smiling at her so sweetly. “Um. Well- you definitely don’t have to, you should think about it- but my uncle is visiting from China, actually. He was staying with my parents, but tonight he’s coming over to our apartment. We can’t really communicate, my mandarin is terrible-”

Adrien completed her thought, grin still shining on his face. “But mine’s pretty good.”

She flushed. “It’s awful for me to even suggest it, I’m sorry, I’m sure you must have plans-”

“I don’t.” 

Alya’s face was amazing. Marinette felt like her heart was singing, because if Adrien really came over then he would see her apartment, he would meet her uncle, and it would mean that he didn’t think of her as just a spazzy stalker, which honestly had been her expectation going into this whole thing. “Are you really-”

Adrien ducked his head shyly. “If you’re okay with me being there, I’d love to help.”

Nino’s voice was oddly wooden. “Oh no, I have a phone call to take. Be right back.” The DJ walked away, talking into a phone that was rather obviously not turned on. Alya rolled her eyes.

“I’d better help him.” With that, she jumped up and followed him, leaving Adrien and Marinette quietly sitting on the duvet, watching leaves fall as a wind blows through the park. Marinette shivered. 

“Here.” Adrien shrugged off his jacket and draped it over Marinette, despite her protests. It was a really nice jacket, she noticed idly. She shifted a little closer to him, not so close as to actually make contact, but close enough for the air to feel electric in the winter air. 

The silence was comfortable. Marinette looked over her shoulder and saw Alya and Nino flirting a few dozen meters away. She turned to Adrien with a grin. “Hey.” His green eyes met her blue, which would have been completely debilitating, but she was on a mission. “I’ll bring Alya tonight if you bring Nino.” She gestured toward the pair, carefully holding on to his coat. “They seem to be enjoying each other’s company.”

Adrien laughed. “Looks like it. Alright, Marinette, sounds like a deal.” He pulled out a pen and looked at Marinette. “What time, for tonight? And um-” he blushed, and Marinette hadn’t realized a guy could blush so daintily, “what address?” 

Before she could lose her nerve, she took the pen and grabbed his hand. She carefully wrote out her address on the back of his hand, steadfastly ignoring how soft it felt and how perfectly their fingers would intertwine. When she finished, Adrien was staring at her with his mouth hanging open just the tiniest amount.

“See you at eight?”

He closed his jaw, then winked. “Sounds like a date.”


	2. I Have Something To Espresso

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys, looks like there's going to be one more chapter after this! Thank you so much for reading, it really means a lot. Feel free to comment, I don't bite!

If Marinette had to pick a career other than fashion, cooking would be a serious contender. 

Her parents ran a bakery, after all. And once Marinette got the hang of baked goods, the jump to different kinds of food was easy enough to manage. Marinette had always had a streak of good luck, so her mussels were always perfectly cooked and never rubbery, and her hachis parmentier made Alya cry once.

Alya had also nearly cried when Marinette recounted her time with Adrien at the park. Her best friend insisted that Adrien had been flirting with her, which Marinette would have really loved to believe, only...

She just felt so plain around Adrien. They’d been texting ever since the park, and he just sounded so interesting. He was a physics grad student, practically a rocket scientist! Alya tried to explain that they weren’t necessarily the same thing, but even she had to admit that there was overlap. 

Alya had also tried to explain that working at a fashion magazine was considered glamorous in most circles, but Marinette had simply pointed to her air drying blouse from earlier. Getting covered in coffee because of a bratty intern didn’t feel glamorous at all.

~~~

Her uncle was just as silent as she remembered. Fortunately, he loved cooking too. On her twentieth birthday, he had sent her a worn and clearly well loved bundle of recipes, annotated in careful French. It was her favorite present that year.

When Uncle Cheng noticed Marinette was using one of his recipes, his entire demeanor brightened. He gestured enthusiastically at her simmering soup and made a few false starts in French before giving up and sticking with the ever universal ‘thumbs up’. He occasionally passed one spice or another to Marinette as a silent recommendation, but for the most part seemed to approve of her making the dish her own.

After a few minutes of the two Chengs bustling around the kitchen, Alya came out of her room, still a little bemused that Marinette had insisted she join them for dinner. She waved awkwardly to Marinette’s uncle. “Hi, Mr. Cheng!” He waved back in response and went right back to his own side dish, a seafood based plate.

Alya sighed and sat at their kitchen counter. “Marinette, I don’t want to be a third wheel.”

Just then, the doorbell buzzed, and Marinette gave Alya a sly smile. “You won’t be.” She practically skipped on her way to the door, opening it to the very welcome sight of Nino and Adrien. Both boys had changed a little since their time at the park, Adrien was now wearing a white button down shirt over a dark t-shirt that was, well- flattering was an understatement. Nino had swapped out his headphones for a fancier pair of headphones.

When Alya and Nino made eye contact, the two burst into laughter. Adrien and Marinette shared a smile. Operation Red DJ was a go! Marinette showed Adrien and Nino into the small kitchen area and offered to get them something to drink. Both boys declined. Adrien noticed Uncle Wang and cautiously greeted him in what sounded like flawless Mandarin. The quiet man positively beamed, speaking so quickly Adrien had to ask him to slow down.

Marinette put the soup on simmer and moved to the other side of the counter to be closer to her volunteer translator. Adrien broke away from his intense looking conversation and shrugged sheepishly at Marinette. “Um, he’s very happy that now you two can communicate, but he- ah- he wants to know how you know me?” Right. Normal people didn’t ask strangers to come to dinner with their uncle.

But was Adrien really a stranger though? It felt like they’d known each other forever. She looked at Adrien and tilted her head. “You’re a new friend of mine, we know each other from around town.” She pulled at the hem of her sweater, an old habit. “Right?”

Adrien’s smile was tinged with relief. “Right.” He relayed the backstory to Uncle Cheng, who nodded and gave Marinette another thumbs up. 

The conversation flowed smoothly after that. Adrien told Marinette’s uncle all about her latest project, the dilemma making Uncle Cheng laugh sympathetically. “He says that he understands how you feel, and he wants to know how he can help!”

“That’s great!” Marinette ran to her bedroom and grabbed her sketchbook. She gave the soup another stir and sat back down. “I was hoping that maybe Uncle Cheng could tell me what China feels like to him. What’s beautiful about it, what pieces he sees in Paris, what pieces are unique to his home.” She twirled her pencil lightly, looking gratefully up at her translator. “Is that alright?”

Adrien nodded. “Sounds interesting! I’d love to hear about his perspective as well, it’s a cool opportunity.” He quickly relayed the request to Uncle Cheng, who looked pensive for a moment before launching into vivid descriptions, gesturing wildly all the way.

He would pause every few sentences to let Adrien translate for Marinette, who sketching frantically, artistic block completely gone. She traced skylines, shaded neon lights reflected on waterfronts, and doodled silkscreen patterns in the margins. Her uncle was describing more than just a place. He was describing a collision of the ancient and the modern, and there was so much potential there, Marinette felt like she was gliding.

Adrien looked impressed too. “I haven’t visited China since I was little, I don’t remember very much.” He smiled at Uncle Cheng. “I’ll have to visit again someday.” 

“Do you have family there?” Marinette asked, tilting her head.

He ran his fingers through his hair. “No, but my father had some business in Hong Kong.” He sniffed the air. “Uh, Marinette?”

“The soup!” Marinette raced into the kitchen, hoping the dish could still be salvageable. Thankfully, it had only just started to overheat, and a little cold water helped bring it back down to a manageable temperature. 

Nino and Alya finally pulled themselves away from Alya’s laptop. “Food?” Nino asked hopefully.

Marinette laughed. “Yep! Come on, dig in everyone!”

~~~

Eventually, Alya went to bed, Uncle Cheng went back to his hotel, and Nino fell asleep on the couch, leaving Adrien and Marinette quietly cleaning up in the kitchen. “You don’t need to clean up, I’m telling you, you’re a guest!” Marinette had been trying to convince Adrien for the last ten minutes to leave the mess for her in the morning. Adrien was turning out to be just as stubborn as she was though. 

“You planned everything.”

“You translated for me!” Marinette blushed. “I still can’t believe you did that, I really can’t thank you enough.” She looked longingly at her sketchbook. “I have so many ideas now, and that wouldn’t be the case if you hadn’t stepped in.”

Adrien snorted. “I somehow doubt that very much.” His eyes shone in the darkness. “You- your sketches- are amazing.” 

Marinette’s heart fluttered. _Pull yourself together, Marinette._ She smiled at Adrien. “You know, I still don’t know that much about you.” 

“What do you want to know?” His sincerity took Marinette aback for a second. 

Then she remembered something he had mentioned earlier. “What does your dad do?” He stiffened in the darkness. “I mean,” she tried to backtrack, “what’s your favorite movie?”

That pulled a laugh out of him. “Nice save.” 

“Thanks.” She looked at him, trying to read his face in the dim room. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have-”

Adrien shrugged, a little less on edge than before. “It’s fine. I said you could ask me anything, it’s just- not a very fun story.” He looked at her, his face serious. “If you ask me again, I’ll tell you.”

Marinette considered the offer, but shook her head. “I will ask you, but- not now.” She dried off the last dish. “What _is_ your favorite movie?”

“You’re going to laugh at me.”

“Try me.” 

Adrien flashed a grin, bright enough to be visible even in the dark room. “I’ve always been rather fond of The Aristocats. It’s paw-sitively purrfect.”

Marinette blinked. Something about Adrien’s answer felt familiar, but she brushed it off. “That pun is terrible. That movie, however, is actually pretty sweet.” She smiled at the blonde boy. “We should watch it sometime.” Realizing what she said, she felt the tip of her ears start to burn. “I mean, if you want-”

“I’d really like that.” Adrien smiled at Marinette like he was about to say something else, when-

“Ughhhh, dude, what time is it?” Nino stretched and nearly fell off the couch. Adrien and Marientte blushed and unintentionally took a few steps away from the other. 

“Sorry man, I didn’t realize how late it was getting.” Adrien apologized to Nino, looking a little sheepish.

When the two roommates were ready to leave, Nino left first tipping his baseball cap at Marinette and giving Adrien a significant look as he left. Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, looking more nervous than Marinette had seen him before. 

For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her.

But something was in the air, the space between them that wasn’t going to let it happen. Adrien pulled Marinette into a hug, and that was more than enough to send her dreams spiralling into blissful recreations for the rest of the night.

~~~

Alya whistled as she peaked her head into Marinette’s room. “Damn. It looks like a fabric tornado went off in here.” Marinette would have responded, but her mouth was rather full of pins. Instead, she just waved aimlessly, knowing her best friend would understand.

Said best friend nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I know. I signed you up for this. And you’re welcome.” Alya’s posture suddenly changed and her voice became more nervous. “Hey, Marinette? I know you can’t talk, but, um- do you think it would be an issue with you and Adrien if Nino and I...”

Marinette carefully spit out her pins. “I think that would be the opposite of an issue, I think that would be a great idea, Alya.” She paused. “If you wanted that. Do you?”

Alya nodded, her shoulders rising and her smile transitioning her back into her more confident self. “Nino is fun, I’m really glad we’ve run into each other again.” She smiled. “And it’s all thanks to you and Mr. Cutest Barista Ever.” 

“Are you going to see Nino soon?”

Alya pulled out her phone. “I’m going to text him now.” She winked at her best friend. “You should text Adrien soon too. Good luck on your designing, Mari!” 

Marinette heard the front door close a few minutes later. Well. She did need a break. She stretched, enjoying the feel of loosening the muscles she had unknowingly tightened while hunched over her seams. Her phone was lying there, absolutely tantalizing, on her nightstand. It was terrifying, it was exciting- and yet, it was still just a phone until she did something with it.

When she finally worked up the energy to retrieve it, she already had two messages from Adrien.

_A: Hey, Marinette, just wanted to thank you for last night, it was really fun and super cool to meet your uncle!!! :) I hope your day is going well, how are the designs coming along? Thanks again_

_A: Nino also says hi and that you are a goddess for whatever you said to Alya (details?)_

_M: Sorry, only just saw these! ^u^ Thank YOU for being an amazing translator! The designs are going on well, I have this stupid hem that’s driving me crazy, but that’s hand stitching for you_

_M: And I didn’t say too much to Alya, just that she has my blessing either way_

It didn’t take too long for Adrien to respond, which sparked a Marinette grin-fest as she reclined on her bed, smiling at her phone.

_A: Alya’s super lucky to have a friend like you, how long have you two known each other?_

_M: Forever. Seriously, I think we met when we were two or three? Alya knows the exact date. How long have you known Nino?_

_A: Two-ish months_

_M: Really?? You seem a lot closer than that_

_A: We have a lot in common_

_A: That’s a total lie, wait, we have nothing in common. IDK, it just works, I guess_

The next morning, Marinette waited in line at Better Bean-Lieve It, feeling more relaxed than ever before. A few of the other regulars even noticed, with one elderly woman asking if she was feeling alright. When she finally got to the front of the line, she met Adrien’s gaze with a confident smile.

“Hi, Adrien, could I please have a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream?”

Adrien looked surprised for a second, and then smiled, obviously holding back laughter. “Are you going to drink this one?”

Marinette blushed. “Yes.”

Her cup had a heart doodled above the “i”, and her two month overdue hot chocolate was as delicious as she had hoped it would be. She had packed Nezzy a bag of cookies to apologize for not bringing coffee anymore, but the woman was so happy for Marinette that she insisted the sight of the young girl so blatantly over the moon was sweeter than the treats.

Even Chloe couldn’t spoil her day. The bratty intern had been waiting by the elevator with another iced coffee, but Alya noticed just in time, and texted Marinette to let her know. Taking the service elevator with Nezzy had never been so satisfying. Even better, Chloe had been so focused on dousing Marinette that she missed the first ten minutes of her morning meeting with Nathalie.

Marinette was soaking in her victory when Nathalie stopped by her desk around eleven. “Ms. Dupain-Cheng, I trust that you are making satisfactory progress with your showing for the January issue?” Nathalie didn’t wait for a response. “Good. Now, about your Ladybug column this week- I intercepted your mail, and there is a letter from Chat Noir, so in your response, please remember to include an invitation to the holiday ball next Saturday.” The woman dressed all in black dropped a stack of letters on Marinette’s desk, the familiar black envelope deliberately placed on top. 

When Marinette hesitated, Nathalie placed her hand on the younger girl’s shoulder. Which, honestly, didn’t really help with the whole nerves thing. “The Ladybug column has been a much larger success than we anticipated, Marinette. What you’re doing may not be as directly fashion related as you may have hoped, but you are providing a sense of,” Nathalie hesitated, “guidance, that many of our readers need in their lives. If it makes you feel better, you can design Ladybug’s dress for the ball. Just be sure that it conceals your... civilian identity, if you will.”

And just as quickly as she had appeared, Nathalie was gone. Only Nathalie could compliment her, comfort her, and give her another massive assignment all in one go. 

Marinette glanced at the stack of letters. Guidance, huh? She might as well...

_My Lady,_

_My roommate (yes, the rave throwing maniac who completes me) has recently started dating. Any tips on how to avoid getting under-paw? I don’t want to be a mew-sense. All puns aside, I’m very happy for him, and want to make sure to respect his need for privacy while still hanging out._

_Loyally yours,  
Chat Noir _

Marinette knew a small frown was on her face, but she couldn’t seem to shake it off. Chat Noir seemed a little off. He had barely flirted with her at all. _I thought you didn’t like his flirting,_ a traitorous inner voice pointed out. _Plus, things are finally going somewhere with Adrien. You should be glad Chat’s not as flirty with you._

It still took Marinette much longer than usual to compose her response, and longer still to non-awkwardly work in the invitation to the holiday ball.

Not that it meant anything, of course.

~~~

Alya’s dropped jaw was all the confirmation Marinette needed. Still, she twirled again, making sure that the panels in the dress were moving properly. “Do you think I should have gone with a brighter shade of red?” 

Alya half jokingly fanned herself. “Marinette. That is the most stunning dress I have ever seen. If you weren’t practically another sister, girl-”

Marinette giggled. “Thanks, Alya.” She spun around again, just to appreciate how the dress expanded to look like ladybug wings. “It was really fun to make.” And it had been. Marinette’s fingers had been thoroughly pricked by pins and sewing needles, but switching between her two projects had left her recharged and ready for an evening out. Even if the person invited to the ball was Ladybug, and not Marinette.

“Can I see it with the mask on?”

Marinette nodded, carefully securing the simple black silk mask around her eyes. Her hair had been the biggest challenge, since Marinette’s blue-black shade was fairly distinctive. Alya had actually come up with the best solution. She had been watching a documentary on the French Regency while Marinette sewed in the living room. “Hey, Mari!” She had called out. “Why don’t we powder it?”

And surprisingly, it had worked. After her hair was braided into a regal looking updo, a layer of white powder had disguised Marinette’s color, and a layer of dusky red had turned Marinette Dupain-Cheng into Ladybug, the wise and sophisticated advice giver. 

Ladybug smiled.

~~~

The annual gala was hosted every year at Le Bristol, a fancy hotel chain that required booking six months in advance, at least. Ladybug walked through the front entrance, posing with the other guests for the photographers. 

Chloe’s father, the mayor, shook her hand and thanked her for the guidance she gave readers. He added in a whisper that his own daughter was an avid reader of the column. Marinette experienced a major brain meltdown. Ladybug just thanked the mayor and moved on.

The hall was decadent, to say the least. A five tiered chandelier hung over the dance floor, throwing all the dancing couples into shimmering, ever changing light. It looked like they were dancing under water.

Nathalie tapped Ladybug on the shoulder. “Ladybug, there are a handful of Chat Noir’s outside, I had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but we need you to pick the most authentic of the bunch.”

Ladybug was polished, Ladybug was confident, Ladybug definitely did not feel like throwing up.

Near a side exit, four young men stood. Two were barefaced, and two were masked. All of them smiled eagerly up at her. 

She ran through everything she knew about Chat Noir. He was (usually) flirtatious, liked terrible puns, and- her eyes widened- sent every letter in a black envelope. Ladybug smiled at the “Chats”. 

“Well? Aren’t you going to introduce yourself? Or-” she winked “did the cat catch your tongue?”

The first man jumped forward. “Hey there, Ladybug, it’s me, Chat Noir. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

Ladybug looked at him. “Thank you, but you aren’t Chat Noir. Have a lovely evening.” Nathalie smiled, for the first time since Marinette had known her.

The remaining three looked nervous. Ladybug smiled more gently at them. “It’s alright, I don’t mean to test you, I just can only invite one kitty in, and I want to make sure that it’s mine.” One of the other men gave a sheepish smile at that and left.

She turned to one of the Chat’s who had been quiet up until now. “So, kitty, anything you’ve got to say?”

This Chat, she had to admit, was by far the best dressed. His suit was flawlessly fitted, his mask was surprisingly similar to hers, and- were those cat ears?

“My Lady, has anyone told you that you look like the cat’s meow in that dress?” His voice was silky, but not in an oppressively heavy way. He was silly, yes, but he was also carefully watching her reaction, ready to tone it down if necessary. 

But Ladybug had to be sure. She leaned in closer. “If you can answer me this, alley cat. What color paper do you send your letters in on.”

The other Chat frowned. “Hey, that’s not fair, you haven’t asked me yet.”

Her Chat tensed, but Ladybug gave him a subtle wink before turning to the other Chat. “You’re right, I’m sorry. What color paper do you send your letters on?”

He puffed out his chest. “Black, of course, I am Chat Noir, after all.”

Laughter rang in Ladybug’s ear as the well dressed Chat nearly doubled over. “Well played, my lady.” He extended a hand to the other Chat, who unfortunately hadn’t caught up yet. “Unfortunately, as my bugaboo knows- my letters are white, but my envelopes are black.”

Ladybug extended her arm to Chat Noir, _her_ Chat Noir, and the two sauntered into the ballroom.

After several rounds of photos, they finally found a quiet alcove above the dancefloor. For a few moments, they watched the people go round and round. When Ladybug looked back at him, Chat’s face was pensive. 

“Why did you come tonight?” She wasn’t sure if it was Ladybug or Marinette who asked.

He startled out of his reverie, looking carefully at her in the relative quiet of their hideaway. “I wasn’t planning on it, you know.” He glanced back down at the guests. “I don’t care much for socialite events. But I wanted, no, I needed, to thank you.”

She wasn’t sure what she had been expecting, but it wasn’t that. “What?”

Chat Noir looked at her, all flirting and puns forgotten. “Why do you think I wrote to an advice columnist every week for a year?”

Ladybug fiddled with her earrings, a decidedly Marinette gesture that she couldn't stop from creeping in. “I’m not sure. Why?”

“I didn’t have anyone else to talk to.” Noticing her face, he hastily continued. “Emphasis on didn’t. I have friends now, but, my Lady- it really meant a lot that you kept replying.”

She didn’t know what to think, where to look. What to say. Because what could she say? It was her job? Because it wasn’t that. Somewhere along the line, Chat’s letters became the brightest part of her workweek. He was kind, he was witty, and he was- he was real. He was standing in front of her, and she couldn’t think of what to say.

So she held out her hand. “Dance with me?”

They made their way downstairs. In a room full of Paris’s famous and elite, all eyes were on them, the anonymity as powerful as any status symbol they possessed. The band was playing a waltz. Wordlessly, he pulled her close, and they took off.

Twirling like she did for Alya, her dress ballooned out, showing off the white skirt beneath the red and black spotted panelling. Chat Noir moved smoothly, expertly, grinning at her wickedly whenever they made eye contact.

The gala ended too soon. He bowed, kissed her hand, and disappeared. She smiled, waved once at the remaining stragglers, and called a cab.

When the powder was washed out of her hair and the dress was hanging in her closet, Marinette collapsed on her bed in a deep sleep, too tired to process all her senses had experienced. In her sleep, Chat’s wicked grin blended with Adrien’s gentle eyes, and their somehow familiar scent filled every remaining space in her mind.

She was so screwed.


	3. I Love You A Latte

_Dear Ladybug,_

_The Gala was one heck of a ball, wasn’t it? Thank you for the dance. Anyway, I have one last question for you. There’s this girl. She’s funny, and sweet, and I can’t stop thinking about her. But I have no clue what I’m doing. How do I let her know how I feel?_

_Always,  
Chat Noir _

Marinette stared at the paper, willing herself not to cry, because crying would be ridiculous. She wasn’t alone. She had Alya, she always had Alya. Adrien had come over just the other night, and they’d barely watched the movie he’d brought over, they spent so much time laughing and talking.

So then, why did losing Chat feel like losing a part of herself?

 _You have a pile of other letters, people who want advice just as much as Chat did. It’s good that this is the last one. You need to move on._ Her thoughts were as treacherous as ever, but Marinette had to admit that they were right. 

But she still carefully folded the letter and hid it in her pocket. When Nathalie asked her why her column was missing a letter from a certain black cat, Marinette just shrugged. Nathalie pinched the bridge of her nose, obviously trying to contain her temper.

The letter was burning a hole in her pocket all the while.

~~~

It was impossible to text Adrien while that letter was on her mind. She couldn’t flirt with him if a part of her was missing Chat’s advances. But she couldn’t get closure with Chat, since their anonymity meant that she wouldn’t even know where to start looking. And with every day that her unread notifications piled up, her guilt built as well.

Adrien was so perfect. He was kind, he was sweet, and Marinette had fallen for a total stranger just when Adrien had started to notice her. How could she explain that to him?

If Alya noticed, she didn’t say anything. She was busy being happy with Nino. Alya still made time for her friend, of course, but well- Marinette didn’t let her get too close. 

Marinette was swamped with work anyway. Her collection had to be perfect. Nathalie had booked an outdoor photoshoot for her, claiming it to be more ‘efficient’ than a typical spread. Alya thought it meant Nathalie was warming to the younger girl. Marinette thought it was another brick of expectation to carry on her shoulders.

She stopped going to Better Bean-Lieve It.

~~~

When Marinette finally finished the collection, Alya let out a low whistle. “I knew you could do it, Mari, but wow- these are extraordinary.”

And they were. There were four sets, one for daytime, one for nighttime, one for formal wear, and one that was casual. Each set had one piece inspired by France, and one inspired by China, building off of shared structural elements to highlight their differences. 

It would have been impossible without Adrien’s translating.

Marinette forced herself to smile. “Thanks, Alya.” She checked the clock. “I’d better get going, the show is at one, and I need to make sure everything runs smoothly.” Alya gave her a concerned look, but Marinette waved it off. “I’m fine, Alya, just tired.” She managed a more natural smile. “Thanks for sticking your neck out for me. This means a lot.”

The girls pulled each other into a ferocious hug, and Marinette started making her way down to the park. Alya had offered to be there, but Marinette just wanted the project to be done with. She had poured her heart and soul into those pieces. Sleeping for the next several days straight sounded like a good plan.

Nathalie was already there, of course. “Ms. Dupain-Cheng, there you are.” She gestured to a set of models waiting in the tent. “The girls are here, and ready for the final fitting.” Nathalie gave Marinette a small smile. “Good luck.”

Marinette quickly got to work. Her initial measurements had been precise, but some of the pieces required temporary hemming to truly show off the way the fabric draped across the models. 

All too soon, it was time for the shoot. Marinette stood off at a distance, letting the photographers and models do their thing. As exciting as it was to see her pieces on the models, the thrill of watching wore off after the first half hour, and Marinette found a bench to claim while she waited out the rest of the shoot. She closed her eyes, letting the sun soak into her skin.

“Hey, Marinette.”

Her eyes flew open. Adrien was standing there, dressed in a ridiculously well fitting coat and a bright blue scarf. He was holding a cup of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream with her name written on the side. There was a heart and a question mark over the “i”.

She stood abruptly. “Adrien! Hi.”

He smiled, but it was a smaller smile than usual. “Hi.” He gestured at the bench. “Mind if I?”

Marinette sat back down, leaving enough space for him. “Of course.” He passed her the hot chocolate. Where their fingers touched, Marinette felt a sudden rush of heat. “Thank you, Adrien, you didn’t have to. How did you know I was here?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, looking sheepish. “Alya told Nino who told me. I think on purpose.” He looked at her, worry evident in his face. “Listen, I-”

Marinette sighed. “I’m sorry. Adrien, have you ever-” she tried to find the words. “Have you ever fallen for two people at once, but out of sync? And you only really know one of them in real life. But the other one you feel like you know even better, despite never really meeting?”

Adrien’s green eyes were wide with emotion. “I’m so, so sorry, Marinette.”

Huh? “Why are you sorry?”

Adrien looked confused. “The Ladybug thing.”

Marinette’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline. “You know I’m Ladybug?”

Now it was Adrien’s time to look surprised. “Wait. You’re Ladybug?” He started laughing, a little hysterically. Marinette placed a hand on his knee, concerned and a little offended.

“It’s not that funny. I think I do a pretty good job of it.” Because, really, she did get fairly high reviews. 

Adrien slowly pulled himself together, small chuckles still escaping, but less frequently. He stood, nearly falling on his face, then grabbed Marinette’s hand and brought it to his lips. “My Lady. This is paw-sitively Shakespearean.” 

Slowly, it all clicked into place. Chat Noir had stopped flirting with Ladybug when Marinette started flirting with Adrien, which had made Ladybug miss Chat Noir and caused Marinette to become distant with Adrien, who was really-

“You’re Chat Noir?” 

Adrien nervously nodded. “Yes. Listen, I know you never really warmed up to Chat, and I’m not sure how you feel about Adrien... but Marinette, My Lady- I would really love it if you gave me a chance to change your mind?” When Marinette didn’t respond, he kept talking, words nervously spilling into each other. “If you want, of course, I don’t know if you still-”

Marinette kissed him. He stood in shock for a moment, and then his lips were moving with hers, and it was the best thing in the universe. 

When they broke apart, they stared at each other for a moment. Marinette spoke first. “I’d love to, Alley Cat.” His grin was 100% Chat Noir, but the light in his eyes was all Adrien. “Do you realize how lucky I am to have the two people I- I care most about turn out to be the same person?”

Adrien gently brushed a strand of her hair out of her face. “Yes. I do. Because that’s how I’m feeling, right now.” The Chat smile came back. “I can hardly Bean-Lieve It.”

Marinette groaned, but privately thought that she would listen to a thousand, a million bad puns if it could keep Adrien glowing like that.

~~~~~~~Epilogue~~~~~~~

Marinette knew she should stop complaining, because every time she did the shoot took longer, but- “Do we REALLY have to do this? In costume?”

Nathalie didn’t even look up. “Yes. Chat Noir proposed via letter, we are having an engagement photoshoot in character.”

Marinette glared at Adrien, who held his hands up in surrender. “You thought it was cute too, you know.”

Well. “It was cute. It is cute. Because you’re cute.” She felt another intern manhandle her into position. “You are so lucky you’re cute.” 

Adrien grinned. “The suit helps too, doesn’t it?”

Marinette wasn’t about to admit it, but yes, Adrien’s perfectly tailored suit with cat ears and a black mask was becoming something of an attractive combination. “At least you got to repeat outfits.” She gestured at the summer weather in the park. “My other Ladybug gown was too wintery.”

Nathalie interrupted. “Ladybug, please focus.”

Adrien nodded, then started whispering. “But you look beautiful, my Lady.” 

She was rather proud of the engagement shoot dress. It was much shorter than her ballgown, less formal. A simple red and black dotted dress with a sizable bow in the back. But she had made it, so it was perfect for her. She shot her fiancé a smile. “Thanks, Chat Noir.”

Nathalie coughed. “All right. Let’s get one shot of the happy couple by the lake, okay?”

Eventually, one thing led to another, and Chat Noir ended up in the lake. Still, it was the highest selling edition of Nouvelle Reine in the magazine’s history. And Marinette got to dry off Adrien, who, for some reason, really hated water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so, so, so much for reading and commenting and sticking with this story. You are all so wonderful! (Simply the best)


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